Marshall: A Statesman Shaped in the Crucible of War

by Rachel Yarnell Thompson

Rachel Yarnell Thompson's, "Marshall: A Statesman Shaped in the Crucible of Wa", begins with a sandy-haired, mischievous, and energetic boy, nurtured by his mother, judged and challenged by his father, and deeply loved by both. Thomas has taken Marshall from that fresh-faced youth's tentative and formative time to the intersection of national and world events where he soon proved his mettle as a leader. Combining extensive primary source material with secondary sources, Thompson's new biography presents an authoritative and superbly readable story of George C. Marshall's extraordinary journey.

721 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Tom Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

For 16 years, Thompson has served as Director of Education and Special Projects at the Marshall House (also known as Dodona Manor) in Leesburg, Virginia, where Marshall and his wife lived from 1941 until his death in 1959. Her knowledge of the Marshalls’ life in Leesburg has given her a unique understanding of this remarkable leader, whose personality was sometimes hidden by his outwardly austere and inscrutable personality. Thompson’s readers will learn of a Marshall who has been largely unknown to those who have read earlier biographies, and the inclusion of more than 150 photographs makes this Marshall biography superior to others.

Combining extensive primary source material (some of which has only recently come to light) and secondary sources, Thompson presents an authoritative and superbly readable story of one of America’s greatest heroes. She tells of Marshall’s family and early life, his education at Virginia Military Institute, and the development of superior planning and organizational skills in several Army assignments leading up to 1939, when he became Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. Thompson documents his contributions to the Allied victory in World War II, his Sisyphean efforts as a diplomat in postwar China, and his role in the European Recovery Act, which came to be known as the Marshall Plan. She explains why Marshall was not chosen as the Allies’ Supreme Commander on D-Day, why he supported the use of the atomic bomb, and why he recommended that General Douglas MacArthur be relieved of command in Korea.

Thompson interweaves those stories with accounts of Marshall working in his beloved vegetable garden in Leesburg and warm letters to his wife and stepchildren. While the book has been extensively researched and documented and her style is authoritative, Thompson has succeeded in making the material understandable by all audiences, including those with minimal understanding of the art of war and world politics. Thompson’s book is destined to become the definitive, one-volume biography of the man that President Harry Truman called the greatest military man this country has ever produced and the only former military leader to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The complete Marshall emerges from these pages—the warrior, the diplomat, the gardener, and the loving husband and stepfather.

If you're going to read only one biography of George Marshall, Rachel Thompson's is the one to read.

[Jack Partlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

In reading Marshall: A Statesman Shaped in the Crucible of War, I did so with a deeper understanding of the vital leadership roles George C. Marshall had in the last century. The book contains archival photos not found in other books on Marshall. I, especially, found the final chapters to be a profound insight into Marshall’s personal and private life that brought out his caring dimension. The author’s research and knowledge of Marshall’s family life at his Dodona Manor home certainly adds value to this exemplary work on George C. Marshall.

[Winston Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This long, detailed biography brilliantly tells the story of Marshall's life. The writing was good, and the information and quotes were amazing. Thompson tells the postwar and prewar story of Marshall really well. My only critique is that the chapters are long and could have been broken up in many places but also I critique the fact that the book does not detail the relationship between Stimson, King and Leahy well, they are made to be side pieces of the George Marshall epic, I wish Thompson could have detailed the relationships between Marshall and most of the officers and statesmen a little better. They did well with Eisenhower and Roosevelt's relationships with him, but also Churchill's relationship post-war.
This book portrays the George Marshall epic of his domination of the world stage for years expectantly, and you can truly understand why he was The American of his time. Thompson's book is excellent despite my few critiques.

[Douglas Graney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent book! Though over 600 pages it moves at a good pace. Author Rachel Thompson makes you feel like you know the man. He is the closest thing to George Washington we’ve had considering service to country. Get this!

[Phillip Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent biography of General Marshall. Read it and be amazed by this man.

[Anne Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Thompson's new book about George C. Marshall is a fine analysis of how this excellent man came to be one of the great American leaders of the 20th century. He was admired for his brilliant leadership during WW II and the implementation of the Marshall Plan which resurrected Western Europe. Thompson integrates photographs, some never before published in a book, into her excellent research on Marshall.